Monday, July 14, 2014

12 Days on the North Fork of the Flathead River - Trip Recap

How do you put in words the experience of being camped along side a wonderful river with friends and floating, fishing and enjoying the outdoors to the fullest...it is hard to explain, but it had to be some of the best days I have experienced in many, many years!

It brought to mind a letter that was written many, many years ago by my wife Mimi Purcell after a wonderful raft trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho back in 1981! That trip was a wonderful adventure as this one was!!

Here is the letter!

This is a copy of a wonderful poem, letter that Mimi wrote after our trip to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.

That letter pretty much sums up the wonderful trip I was lucky to experience...great new friends and great campground and a wonderful river...and I might add, some of the best food I have ever eaten!!

I think that my best explanation will be in pictures! This will be a long post!

I went to the campground a day early since I didn't have reservations and needed to secure one of the walk-in sites as near to my friends as possible - I was lucky to snag one site number 17 for my entire stay and only three sites away from Jim and Tim and Debbie, so it worked out very well!



The view I enjoyed so many days while reading and dozing in my chair....



Some great times with new friends!



A great fire every evening with the river in the background!



Evening visitors!





The wonderful views, drove 17 miles to Moose Lake!!





Jim and Aleena out for a little fishing on the lake!





The camp "Cook Stand" - some fine meals were put together here!







By far the BEST Dutch Oven Ribs I have ever eaten! Two different "dry Rubs"!





And the end result!



Another after dinner fire!



Clyde enjoying the campfire and companionship!



Jimbo watching the River and Aleena swimming!



The evening glow on the river bank - view from the campsite!



Now some scenery from the river and surrounding area!





Loaded up ready to float!!





The launch ramp at Ford launch site!!



The wonderful river with the ever present Mountains from Glacier National Park always in the background!











River bottom pic for future use as a background in an article I am writing!





Aleena the new Fishing Queen of the North Fork!





Tim Adair - my guide!!



The store in Polebridge with the BEST Huckleberry Bear Claws!!









A beautiful meadow in Glacier National Park while out shooting Wildflowers!





I watched a young girl gather these flowers and leave them on the railing at the meadow site - had to shoot them!











This had to be one of my most wonderful vacations of all time, I have to thank my hosts - Jim Flinchbaugh and Tim and Debbie Adair for the companionship, camaraderie and outright great conversations! I have found some new friends!

I forgot to mention the evening menu - Day one Lasagna - Day two Burgers on the grill - Day 3 - a huge pot boil with potatoes, corn, sausage and shrimp! My that was good! Then the Dutch Oven Ribs - then Kabobs with chicken and beef then we had some some brats and some steaks - we did NOT go hungry!


Enjoy the photos and stay tuned for more adventures - the summer has just started!


Capt. Jim - "The Gypsy"

Traveling and photographing the Southwest and Alaska!


1 comment:

  1. Took some time tonight to catch up on your travels. The photos are inspiring and we're so looking forward to meeting you and Jimbo later next month.

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